Sterilizer.



No. 742,560. PATENTBD 00T. 27, 1903.

- R. P. BARNSTBAD.

STERILIZBR. APP'LIGA'TION FILED AUG. 1. 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEETl.

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PATENTBD 00T. 27, 190s.l R. P. BARNSTBAD.

STBRILIZER.

, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1902. NO MODEL.

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.- 'UNITED STATES Patented October 27, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

STERILIZER.

s'rEcrFrcATroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,550, dated october27, 1903. Application tiled August l, 1902l Serial No. 117,975. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that 1, ROBERT P. BAE'NSTEAD,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ashmont, in the countyof Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sterilizers, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to sterilizers of the type iny which an air-tightdrum is employed for receiving the articles to be treated and thesterilizing heat is obtained by means of coils of steam-pipes. Y

My invention has for its object, first, the effecting of improved meanswhereby the process may include a moist heat for a portion of the time,followed by a dry heat accompanied with a current of hot air; second,the construction of a door for said drum which shall be easily andconveniently opened and closed, and yet perfectly tight when closed andsafe against any powerful internal pressure, and, third, certain detailsof improvement hereinafter set forth. I

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a side elevation, partially in section, of my complete apparatus.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with the door partially open.Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view upon nearly full scale of one of thedoor-fastening devices. Fig. 1l is a side view upon a smaller scale ofthe front end of the drum, showing its door closed.

As shown in Fig. 1, the drum 1 is preferably constructed with twoconcentric shells 2 and 3, containing between them the helical coils ofsteam-piping 9, with suitable asbestos packing between said coils andthe outer shell to prevent radiation and loss of heat. v

On the ioor of this drum is formed, by means of the segmental front 4, awater-container having a roof 5perforated at frequent intervals, as at6. Within this container are several lengths of piping 7, having ltheirends terminating outside thedrum, as at 8-8, and there connected with asuitable source of steam-supply. This container is drained at its rearend by a pipe lO, closed by a suitable as the lever throttle-valve 11illustrated. Through the roof of this drum at its front end is a pipe12,closed by a similar lever throttle-valve'13.

In using this lsterilizer the articles to be valve treated are supportedupon the perforated containerroof 5, which is more truly the floor ofthe drum, and the door tightly closed. Previously water has beenintroduced within said container until the steam-pipes 7 are properlycovered. The valves 11 and 13 being closed, steam is turned onto thecoils 9 and pipes 7, and the sterilizing process thereby begun. Thewater in the container soon becomes hot, so that heat is being emitted Afrom the ioor 5 equally with that from the walls of the drum. In a shorttime the water in said container begins to boil and steam to risetherefrom, passing through the perforations 6 and filling the entiredrum. Any excess of pressure from the heated air and this accumulatingsteam is allowed to escape through the pop-valve 16, held down by theweight17, and the diminution of the water is evidenced by thewater-glass 15, connected with the pipe 10, more being supplied throughthe tubing 14. When this `moist heat has continued for a sufficientlength Aof time, the

11 is opened to permit the water to escape, a suitable receptacle 1-9being provided therefor, and then both valves 10 and 13 are allowed toremain wide open, the steam meantime being continued in the coils 9 andpiping 7. Through said pipes 10 l2 the outside air now begins to pass,the same as it rises from the pipe 10 being obliged to circulate betweenthe piping 7 before escaping through the perforations 6, and henceheilig thoroughly heated and rendered asceptic before entering the drumitself. Beingthus heated it seeks to rise, and so passes on up and outthroughthe pipe 12. In this manner a continuous circulation of hot dryair is maintained until the nal step in the process of sterilization isaccomplished and all the moisture contained in the articles has beenfully removed. Before opening the valve 11 the -valve 13 should beopenedvto remove pressure that would throw water from pipe 10 with undueforce.

My improved door for the drum is constructed as follows: This door 2O ispivoted at 21 to swing in its own plane, a handle 22 being provided forits manipulation. Fixed to the drum a few inches in frontof the saiddoor is the ring 27, the fastening devices for said ring comprising thebolts 2S. These bolts are shown as four in number, although ICO anysuitable number may be employed, the essential point being that theyshall be located in one half of the ring alone and that by preferencethe left-hand half, as shown in Fig. 2. The ring 27 being thus supportedthe door 20 can be swung unhindered to the right and downward until ithangs vertically down froln its pivot 2l.

The fastening devices for the door consist of the hand-screws 30, whichturn and slide freelyin suitable holes in the ring 27 and are tappedinto the annular head 25 of the drum at their inner ends. The diameterof the door is made less than the outer diameter of said ring, so thatthe hand-screws 30 shall be eX- terior thereto, as shown in Fig. 3, whenthe door is closed. Fixed on each hand-screw 30 is a shoulder 32 of asufficient diameter to overlap the edge of the door, whereby the lattermay be pressed firmly against the drum annulus or head 25 or with itsflange 23 embedded in the comparatively soft packingring 26, set intothe head 25. For reducing friction said shoulders 32 may be providedwith balls 33, heldin an annular groovein the face of the shoulder.

As shown in Fig. 3, the ring 27 is far enough from the door to permitthe latter to clear the ends of the hand-screws 30 when these have beenunscrewed and pulled out until the shoulders 32 contact withV said ring.When this has been done, said door is free to be swung away from themouth of the drum.

Inasmuch as the door only swings to one side, owing to the presence ofthe supportingbolts 28, it is only necessary to thus remove thehand-screws in the right-hand side of the ring 27, the balance beingsimply unloosened enough to free the door. For the other handscrews,those which require to be wholly withdrawn from the path of the door, Iprovide each with a coiled spring 35, tting between the hand-wheel 31 ofthe screw and the ring 27 and so constructed that as soon as thescrew-threads of a hand-screw 30 have emerged from the head 25 suchspring will instantly throw the hand-screw out of the path of the doorand retain it there so long as desired. Without such springs care isneeded to Wholly withdraw the hand-screws when the door is to be opened,and also during the operation of filling and emptying the drum of thearticles being treated one or more of such handscrews are liable to behit, and thereby moved back into the path of the door, so that when thedoor is quickly swung up into place it would be sure to strike suchdisplaced handscrew and so bend it ormai' its screw-threads as to obligethe entire arrangement to be removed for repairs.

As shown in Fig. 2, I prefer to surround the upper end of the pipe 12with a cup 18 to catch whatever moisture may issue therefrom with theair passing up from the drum.

What I claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

1. The combination of a chamber having an opening, a door fitted to saidopening and constructed to swing away therefrom in its own plane,fastening devices for securing said door to the chamber constructed tobe wholly disengaged from the door, and means located exterior to saiddoor and out of its path when opened and closed, for supporting saidfastening devices in position to be immediately engaged with thechamber.

2. The combination of a chamber having an opening, a door fitted to saidopening and constructed to swing away therefrom in its own plane, a ringlocated exterior to said door and fixed to said chamber at certain partsthereof, and fastening devices loosely supported by said ring andconstructed to be engaged with said chamber and door.

3. The combination with the drum and its door pivoted to swing in itsown plane, of the ring fixed a short distance exterior to the open mouthof the drum, and a series of handscrews revoluble and slidable in saidring and terminally tapped into the end of said drum and each beingformed with a shoulder for engaging the edges of the door, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination with the drum and its door pivoted to swing in itsown plane, of the ring, bolts holding said ring a short distanceexterior to the open end of the drum, and a series of hand-screwsrevoluble and slidable in said ring and terminally tapped into the endof the drum and formed with the shoulders engaging the edges of thedoor, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the drum and its door pivoted to swing in itsown plane, of the ring one halt' of which is rigidly connected to thedrum, the hand-screws revoluble and slidable in the ring and terminallytapped into the end of the drum and having the shoulders engaging theedges of the door, and spiral springs located. with certain of thehand-screws exterior to the ring to throw the same awayfrom the drum assoon as unscrewed therefrom, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the drum and its door pivoted to swing in itsown plane, of the shouldered hand-screws for fastening the door inplace, said shoulders being formed with annular grooves, andantifriction-balls located in said grooves, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set myhand this 30th day of July, 1902.

ROBERT P. BARNSTEAD.

Witnesses:

EDWD. E. BUTMAN, A. B. UPHAM.

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